The Positive Impacts of a Small Dose Nature Experience for Suburban Primary School Students

Abstract

Nature experiences have been shown to have a number of positive impacts on adults and children (Louv, 2012, Williams, 2017). These benefits include an improvement in the ability to direct one’s attention, a reduction in the symptoms of stress, and an increase in creative play. Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989), Stress Reduction Theory (Ulrich, 1981), and Loose Parts Play Theory (Nicholson, 1973) provide the theoretical framework for the study. To better understand what size dose (level of intensity, duration, or frequency) is needed in order to gain positive impacts from nature exposure (Cox et al., 2017; Shanahan et al., 2016; Weeland et al., 2019), this mixed methods case study examined the positive impacts of a 20 minute outdoor nature walk on suburban primary school students in Northern New England. Quantitative measures included an academic performance task pre and post treatment and a post treatment 3-point Likert scale survey in which students reported how happy, calm, stressed, and focused on school work they were after the nature experience. The qualitative measures included researcher observations and a brief participant interview audio recording. The triangulated findings of this study suggest that happiness was a positive impact of a small dose nature experience for these suburban primary school students. Portions of the data also imply that attention to school work, reduction of stress, increased feelings of calm, creative loose parts play, caring and cooperation, problem solving, and awe were also potential benefits of a small dose nature experience for these suburban primary school students.